When people think of the risks associated with starting a business they think of losing money, low product demand, theft, loss or some other calamity befalling their enterprise. These are all pretty unfortunate events, but over the years my understanding of entrepreneurial risk has changed and in this article I'll explain why.
Growing up, I wasn't one of those kids who had their path figured out. The most logical career path for me would have been a teacher like my dad, or a doctor(that's the response we gave to seem ambitious and impress whoever asked). However after cringing at the pictures of people with STIs during a sex education class, I was convinced I'd have to leave the medical profession to someone else.
My first job was as a primary school teacher. I was 18, fresh out of high school and dating a girl 6 years my senior. Needless to say, our priorities at the time were much different. I was purely in love, and she was thinking of settling down. So she would always ask me the grown up question:
"You're not working, so how will you take care of me?"
Simple but very pregnant words- pun intended. In an effort to show her I could 'take care' of her, I applied for a job as a teacher. Got the job and hurried back excited to tell her I had found something. It wasn't my ideal job, but for an 18 year old, it was a pretty decent start. Being much older she didn't seem too excited about it... and I'm pretty sure at the time I hadn't gotten the memo explaining how teachers don't score too high on the cool-meter. She went AWOL about two weeks after I got the job and I didnt hear from her for the next 6 months.
About a week after my varsity graduation I got a job as a back office clerk at a multinational bank. I had opened my first bank account there as a kid, so getting a job there felt like a dream come true. The money wasn't too bad, and it worked very well when my girlfriend had to introduce me to her mom.
About a week after my varsity graduation I got a job as a back office clerk at a multinational bank. I had opened my first bank account there as a kid, so getting a job there felt like a dream come true. The money wasn't too bad, and it worked very well when my girlfriend had to introduce me to her mom.
"This is Likhwa, he's the one I told you about."
Then the mom would respond,
"Oh, the one who works at the bank... How are you my son?"
However, despite the bragging rights, the job didn't allow much flexibility. It was mostly mechanical and so I found it really monotonous. Being a junior employee, I didn't get to make any real decisions. The job barely required me to leave my desk and I didn't like that it always ate into my personal time. So while it may have been impressive to everyone else it just wasn't the place for me.
I later worked for a local NGO. That was one job I really enjoyed. It wasn't as glamorous as the bank, but it gave me room to plan, travel, interact with different people and more importantly, to make decisions. Most NGOs depend on donor funding and so employment contracts depend on the availability of funding. You can't really plan for the next 10 years or so. There's no pension, no medical benefits, just allowances. So after my contract ended I found myself back at square one.
I also worked at a huge beverage company. While I may have been the envy of many, with the company car and title, there was a lot of bureaucracy. Also because it was a large organisation, the superiors made it seem like being there was a privilege and we owed them a debt of gratitude. I remember how everyone would scatter around whenever they heard that a 'big boss' or someone from 'head office' was coming. I believe in being respectful, but after being bullied at boarding school, I vowed never again. So I'm not a fan of fear and intimidation. You know that thing where someone fears the boss, so they also expect you to fear them? That just wasn't my thing, and this didn't sit well with some people... and I guess they felt I needed to be "put in my place."
So after nearly two decades of hopping from one job to the next, I found myself at a crossroad. I had built a fairly impressive resume. I had checked off all my dream organisations from my wishlist( well, except the UN) but had nothing to show for it. I wasn't anywhere near the vision I had for myself. I was also sure that none of my previous jobs could have given me my ideal life. They were all pretty decent jobs, but when you're a dreamer like myself, you tend to want more out of life. You just can't settle for average.
I later worked for a local NGO. That was one job I really enjoyed. It wasn't as glamorous as the bank, but it gave me room to plan, travel, interact with different people and more importantly, to make decisions. Most NGOs depend on donor funding and so employment contracts depend on the availability of funding. You can't really plan for the next 10 years or so. There's no pension, no medical benefits, just allowances. So after my contract ended I found myself back at square one.
I also worked at a huge beverage company. While I may have been the envy of many, with the company car and title, there was a lot of bureaucracy. Also because it was a large organisation, the superiors made it seem like being there was a privilege and we owed them a debt of gratitude. I remember how everyone would scatter around whenever they heard that a 'big boss' or someone from 'head office' was coming. I believe in being respectful, but after being bullied at boarding school, I vowed never again. So I'm not a fan of fear and intimidation. You know that thing where someone fears the boss, so they also expect you to fear them? That just wasn't my thing, and this didn't sit well with some people... and I guess they felt I needed to be "put in my place."
So after nearly two decades of hopping from one job to the next, I found myself at a crossroad. I had built a fairly impressive resume. I had checked off all my dream organisations from my wishlist( well, except the UN) but had nothing to show for it. I wasn't anywhere near the vision I had for myself. I was also sure that none of my previous jobs could have given me my ideal life. They were all pretty decent jobs, but when you're a dreamer like myself, you tend to want more out of life. You just can't settle for average.
How long would it take me to buy a $60k house, with a $450 per month salary? Nope, not 11 years... I still had to live on that $450 salary, remember?
One thing I figured out early on in my life, was that I wanted to be rich. At the time of this great revelation I'm pretty sure my idea of wealth was buying as many toys as I wanted and eating all the juicy burgers I saw in TV commercials. I was one of those kids who kept to himself. I'd sit quietly in class, drawing whatever was on my mind. So it never sat well with me when the whole class got punished for making noise. (Oh, and FYI- punishment was often a beating or manual labour). I knew I wanted to be responsible for my own actions.
One thing I figured out early on in my life, was that I wanted to be rich. At the time of this great revelation I'm pretty sure my idea of wealth was buying as many toys as I wanted and eating all the juicy burgers I saw in TV commercials. I was one of those kids who kept to himself. I'd sit quietly in class, drawing whatever was on my mind. So it never sat well with me when the whole class got punished for making noise. (Oh, and FYI- punishment was often a beating or manual labour). I knew I wanted to be responsible for my own actions.
More importantly I hated being told how to think. I remember how in 5th grade we were tasked to write an essay about what we would do if we had 3 wishes. My response was that I would use my first wish to wish for infinite wishes. Then I went on to list all the types of food, candy, toys and cars I wanted to drive. My teacher wasn't too impressed with that though. She summoned me to her desk, and reminded me that the question clearly said three wishes. Wasn't I supposed to write about MY wishes though?
Life seems to work in a similar way. People are conditioned to think and behave a certain way. When you try to stand out, you're quickly reminded of your background and that-
Life seems to work in a similar way. People are conditioned to think and behave a certain way. When you try to stand out, you're quickly reminded of your background and that-
"no one has ever done that here. So who are you?"
It might not be as brazzen as that, but there will be subtle hints sprinkled in conversation as you share your ideas. Just like the first job I took to impress a girl, many are forced to follow paths that lead them to mediocrity, simply to maintain a title or image. The job would have given a decent life... but it would have been an average life and purely done to appease someone else. Which isn't a bad thing, as most people live like that... but it just wasn't what I wanted.
One thing I've learnt about children is that they are specific about what they want. This is one thing we lose as we grow. We are taught to conform, to settle and to fit in. Wanting more out of life irks those who have 'settled' for less.
"Who does he think he is?"
"Where does he get the audacity?"
"We've all tried this and it didn't work... he's still naive, but life will knock some sense into his head".
"He'll soon learn that this is Zimbabwe... maybe if he was in the States, it would work... not here", they will say.
So when people talk of entrepreneurial risk, instead of the financial dangers, I see it as more about breaking free from the things that keep us from going after what we really want. We have so many things seemingly designed to keep us from pursuing our true destinies. What's even more scary is that these things are often disguised as love and seeming less toxic than they really are.
So when people talk of entrepreneurial risk, instead of the financial dangers, I see it as more about breaking free from the things that keep us from going after what we really want. We have so many things seemingly designed to keep us from pursuing our true destinies. What's even more scary is that these things are often disguised as love and seeming less toxic than they really are.
Think of a loved one whose goal is to settle down, so they want you to take whatever job is available: "Just as long as I'm with you, I'll be happy. I don't care about all that fancy stuff". (Don't fall for it... it's trap! Just to be funny, remind them of this when they tell you the neighbours just bought a second car).
Think of a job which programs you to follow a certain routine everyday while limiting the use of your mental abilities.
Think of friends who idolize huge corporations and see your achievements as less because they are on a smaller scale. So they refer to your business as "that thing of yours".
Think of a career that strips you of your dignity, forces you to conform and denies you the freedom to be who you really are.
These things have pushed so many people down the wrong path. A path to mediocrity.
These things have pushed so many people down the wrong path. A path to mediocrity.
When the covid pandemic lockdowns began I made a commitment to myself. I have worked for huge corporations. I have also taken up odd jobs with the hope that everyone would see that I wasn't just a snob and I was serious about doing this whole 'life' thing. However after doing all that and finding myself stuck in the same spot, I vowed that this time I would do something drastically different.
I would follow the dreams and aspirations that God placed in my heart. It's almost a cliche that you should pursue your passion, but I will do exactly that. That in my belief, is probably the biggest risk I will ever take. After almost 20 years of working for others... what could it hurt to dedicate the next 3, 4 or even 5 years to myself? After all, I have nothing to lose, and if I fail... at least let it be on my own terms.
So the real risk is the people whose perception of you will be crushed when you decide to go after what you want. It is the moments when you will sit with your head bowed in despair wishing you had listened to them and stayed at your old job. It's your reputation and the shame you've attached to your name if this 'thing of yours' doesn't work out. It's the jokes that will be said about you behind your back. You won't hear the punchlines, but you will feel their vibrations when you step into the room. It is the disappointment you will feel when an investor pulls out of a deal at the last minute, and you get denied the redemption you've so patiently hoped for. The real risk is that rejection email that you won't be able to show your loved ones, embarrassed because its telling you the same thing that 39 other emails have said- "you were unsuccessful". It is the moments you will spend questioning what went wrong after you had given it your all and done everything perfect to the tee. The real risk is when even your cheerleaders get tired and stop cheering because your "soon" doesn't seem like it'll be coming. Will you be able to keep going?
See, we all can handle financial loss. Its these internal blows that we haven't been trained to absorb. I wish I could tell you it's easy, but it's still too early in my journey and I haven't seen beyond what I've just told you. However it's important that you know all this. Maybe you've found yourself in the same boat at some point. Maybe you weren't aware that it's what entrepreneurs go through. Or maybe... you're one of those questioning why your loved one is wasting their time applying for an entrepreneurial grant instead of just getting a 'decent' job. Whichever category you fall in, I hope you found this informative... and insightful.
In closing, I'll leave you with two questions:
1. What do you really want out of life?
2. Then why aren't you going after it?
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